Nut-tapping machine



Sept. 18,1923. I

, B. F. HAMILTON NUT TAPPING MACHINE Filed March 8. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Berfils F7 Ham 222 02 I VENTQR.

A TTORNE Y.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 2 m; 5 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

B F HAMILTON NUT TAPPINGMACHINE Filed March 8, 1922 Filed March 8, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 @Qnw A TTORNE Y.

B. F. HAMILTON NUT TAPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept.'.18 1923..

- Filed March 8, 1922 -/]NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

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Patented Sept. 13, 1923.

BERTIS F. HAI IILTON, GE FLINT, IVIICHIGAN.

NUT-TAPPING MACHINE.

- 7 Application filed March 8, 1922; Serial No. $1,992.

To all whom it may concern: 7 Be it known that 1, Bion'rrs P. EIAMILTON, citizen of the United States, residing at Flint, in the county of Genesee and" State of lllichigan, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Nut-Tapping Machines,

This invention appertains to improvenients in nut tapping machines, and has for its principal object to provide an automatic inacnine of'this type 'whereinthe tapping operation will be readily accomplished with accuracy on a plurality of nuts successively fed to the tapperfbitwithout the necessity of .111 ring use of a timing mechanism ordinarily resorted to in such operations.

vi ith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain new and useful construction, arrangement and operation of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which rd showin the manner of feeding the i is a vertical transverse section taken on the line of Fig. 2, V

lfig. I is "ertical'transverse section taken on the .ne "50f Fig. 2,

Fig, 6 is a vertical section taken on the line r3-6 of Fig. 2, a

Fig. l is a vertical. transverse section taken on the line 7--7 ofFig. 2, i

Fig, 8 is another vertical sectional view taken on th line 8+8 ofFig. 2,

further vertical transverse sectional vie taken on the line 9-9 of 2, 10 is a similar vertical transverse sec- .sren onthe line 1010 of Fig. 2, and, I s 11 is f perspective view of one of the cam iiem'oers for effecting the feed of the articles to and from the tapper bit during i o erations of the same. V

to the drawings, wherein simi t ers of reference designate corresp'on s parts throughout the several views thereof, 12 indicates cast metal base the machine, having standards 13, 13,

of which the following is a specifica with and from correspondingly bevelled faces formed on the ad acent under sides of their upper ends to provide journals 14:, 14,

respectively, in which are fitted bearing sleeves 15, 15, having opposed inwardly e1;- tending portions 16, 16, of a slightly reduced exterior diameter to receive thereon for free rotation 11 pair of pulleys 17 and 18, the pulley 17 to be suitably driven for rotation in an anti-clockwise direction, and the pulley 18 for rotation in a clockwise direction. Journaled in the bearing sleeve 15 is a shaft or spindle 19, having an enlarged forward end portion 20 supported in the hearing sleeve 15, the forward projected end portion of the enlarged portion 20 thereof being formed to provide a tapered end porti'on 21 on which is secured a chuck 22 having an axial bore for the reception therein of a tapper bit 23, the latter being held in operative position by means of a set screw 241:. Mounted on the shaft. or spindle 19, at a point between the opposed ends of the reduced inner end portions 16 and 16, of the bearing sleeves 15, 15, is a "friction clutch wheel 25, the same being secured for rotation with the shaft 19, by means ofa set screw 26, and is normally, disposed in unclutched relation with respect to the pulleys ranged to alternately engage and disenga e the pulley V and 18, as wi l he hereinafter more fully explained.

' Mounted at a distance from one end of the machine a nut feed mechanism, which comprises a casing 27, having a downwardly extending chute portion 28, and a supply hopper 29 disposed at one side of its upper end. Garried within the casing 2'? is a feed device 30 of substantially segmental form,

having a grooved upper edge 31 arranged to rece1ve thereon a plurality of nuts from the hopper 29, the nuts taking a position on edge within the groove 31, so as to be discharged from the open end .of the latter, when the device or segment is operated for the purpose. For imparting the necessary oscillatory or rocking movement to the feed device or segment 30, the same is mounted on a shaft 32, journaled in the walls of the casing 27, and is provided with an arm 33 having its free end pivoted to one end of a pitinan 34, which, in turn, has its other end eccentrically connected to one side of a pulley the upper-grooved edge of the segment and those which engage on edge within the groove 31 remain in such 'POSliLlOll, while the others drop hackinto the hopper. When the full upward position of the segment is reached, the .inelinationofthe upper edge thereof is such that the nuts, engaged in the groove 31, are discharged outwardly ofthe open end of the groove and into the chute 28, where they feed by gravity to the posi tions .for the tapping out of their bores by the tapper hit For. effecting the tapping-out of the cores of thenuts a, 1n SLICCOSSIVB'OPGYEIUOIIS, the

casing 27, together with the chute 28 and the hopper 29, is moved bodily toward and from V the tapper bit 23, and for such purpose,tl'1 e lower end portion 28, of the chute 28, 1s

:thei'eof, during the entire tappin j op loifurcatedas at 37, to straddle'one end of a sleeve 38, formed of a suitable length of tubular stock, and extending longitudinally through the base 12, and is loosely secured thereon by means'o'f a bolt 39 passed through the lower ends of thelnturcations 37; he cas'ing27 in its entirety is normally positioned at the outer projected endol the sleeve .88'by means of a compression spring 40, encircling the end of the sleeve and in terposed between the bifurcated end '37 ot the chute 28 and the opposed endwall of the base12. For limiting the inward movement of the casing 27 toward the adjacent end of the base, during each tapping operation, a stop rod ll isthrea-iled into the end of the base, and has its free end disposed directly in the path. of the lfii't'urcatcd. end 3'? ,ot the chute 28, and toone side of the sleeve38. Formed in-the inner wall of the chute 28 is an opening 42, which is cisposed directly in line with the tapper bit 23, and with which thebores of the nuts are surressively alined for'the tapping out of the same by the tapper hit 28, when the chute 28 is named toward the latter and the free end thereof passes inwardly of the opening 42 and into engagement with the here of the nut presented to the same. Formed in the opposite 'orouter wall of the chute 28 isa second opening 4L3,'arranged in line with the open-1 ing 42, and in the same is projected a nut retaining member or presser foot which. is arranged to move inwardly of the opening- 43 and press against the nut positioned at the moment in front of the opening +12, and holds the nut firmly against the inner. of the chute 28, on the removable has tion. The inemloer or-foot 44 is all end of; the tapper- 48 passinglentirely through the'hore of the nut being operated on. Thepresser member or foot at is removably supported in the upper end of an arm 47, secured, by means of a set L rewetS, on the free end of anactuating rod' iS), which is slidably mounted in the sleeve 9Q and,

through which itextends to a point beyond 7 the rear end wallof the base 12,- The presser foot or member etais held normally out of contact with a nut disposed within the chute e '28, orstrom positioninthe path of the nuts feeding down to the latter, by means of a compression spring 50 carriedion the end of the rod 49- and interposed between. connected end of the arm 45 and the h..- catedend8'7 ofthefchute28. i

For actuating the. casing 27,

the

Kits en:

tirety, and the nuts carried-lin the chute thereof, toward and away frorn'the'tapper hit 23, therear end'offlthe shaft or. spindle i i 19 is projectedoutwardlyofthe hearing sleeve 16 at -the rear endof the machine,

and this end-ofthe shaft 19 is engaged in a socket 51 formed axially of the adiacentsend of a stub shaft52, wh ch 1ssupported 1n a bearing sleeve 53,'Secured, by means of set screw 54,-in the upper end ol'an arm which is carried on the. rear ends-t the rod 49, and secured thcreto' by meanslo f a screw 55. The bearing slee e 5 3 .is'formed to provide a forwardly projecting cam por tion 56 cooperative with cam port-ions)? formed on a sleeve 58 carried on the stub? Shaft 52, and within-the confine'sot thehuh of a pulley 59. The pulley 59 is securedmi the cam sleeve 58 for joined rotation therewith, and is driven by means ot a belt connection to a suitable" source of currei'it formed to providea hub extension (30 huviii an axial horn directly encircling the still.

shaft 52 forwardly of the abutting end ot" the camslecve'SS disposed within the hub n oi"; the

p 0per thereon. The cam poi 318m 1 18711011118113 ned in the full operative engagement with th'e'cam portion 56 of the hearing sleeve lay-means ot a' compression spring Gljencireling the c0n neeted end portion of the shaft or e and the stub shaft 52, and 1nterposedhein 'l; if

tween the rear end of the bearing portion.

1 4, ot'the standard 137, and. the opposed shouldered portion 62 of the pulley The arm 55 dependstrom the'stuh shaft 52 and has its lowerend provided with" a circular opening engaged overthe inner or rear end oft-he rod 49jand 15 secured thereto by means of alsetscrew 55. i r

In the operation otthe machineas thus is 1 constructed"; and arranged, and assuming that the pulley 17 is being tlriveniin anticlockwise direction. thepulleylS inJa. clockwisefdirection, andthe pulley 59 in either one 'ort'he'otheii' of suchdireetions, and the clutch wheel or. member 25 disposed in 'iac loo

-neutral positionbetween the pulleys 17 and ijagainst the opposed surface ofthe J Vfromthe positions thereof-ssshown n. Fig. l 2, forces theiarm 55 Ol-ltlVZ1TQMY 18, the initial movement "of the cam 5'? V V and consequently exerts a pull on the "rod lll w l movesrearwardly th oughthe sleeve 38 d draws the arm time i the chute h .the movement OfitheSi-Z p rts asstated the of thelop 'ning 43 ,inthe front Waller presser'meinbe r or foot'd-a moves inw rd v the chute 28', and forces against thejoppo'sed surface of the nut to holdrthe latter whereby its opening Wlll bein alignment with said open1ng42, and'sothat the 1s lillllly held 'in position during the tapping operation to follow.

This movement of'the arms? and the presser member or foot carried thereby, also acts to place the spring under compression against'the lowerbifurcated end 37 of the chute 28, and, when this spring 50 is fully compressed, further movement of thecams 56 and 57 forces the arm further in a rearward direction, and the result of the continued pull on the rod 49 causes the cas -ing 27, including the'chute'28 in the hopper 29thereof, to move bodily toward the front end of the machine proper. This movement of the chute 28, starts to place the spring 40 undercompression, and causes the bore of the not held by the ipresser foot or member 44 to engage with the forward end of the pulley '18 for therotation of the shaft 19, 20,

and the temper bit 23 ina clockwise direction, the proper direction for the tapping out or screw threading of the bore of the nut with which the tapper bit 23 has been previously engaged. This tapping or screw threading operation is completed, just before the highpoint on the cams 56 and 57 is reached, whenthe further threading movement of the tapper bit 23 into the nut engaged thereby will pull the shaft 19, 20 in a forward direction, placing the spring-61 under tension, and moving the clutch25 out of engagement withthe pulley l8 and into 7 engagement with the pulley l7, which movement is accomplished at the extreme high point of the cams 56, 57, and the shaft 19,

20 will now be rotated in the anti-clockwise I direction, whereby the tapper bit 23 unscrews from the now fully threaded bore of =the nut, and, in the meantime, the chute 28' is being forced outwardly to. normal p0si- 'tion, and likewise the presser arm 47, and

the nutengaging foot carried thereby, by

cam 56,

reason of the expansion of the springs 5L0 and 50, which are now free for such expanding action by reason of the passing of the high points of the cams 56, 57. The spring 61 compensates for the lateral play of the cam 57, obtaining when the chute 28, of the feed magazine or casing 27 abuts the end of the stop 41 at the completion of the actual threading or tapping operation f the tapper bit, and during the threading engagement 'of the rapper bit with the work forpulling ther 'shaft'l9, 20, in the forward direction to effect -the reversed direction of rotation of the la ter and the bit 23.

During the tapping operation, the lowermost of the nuts previously tapped out, is

discharged outwardly ofothe lower end of the chute 28 through an opening 63, and this is accomplished by means of an ejector rod 6% extending forwardly of the front standard 18 of the base 12, in the path of the opening 63, which'it enters during the feeding movement of the chute 28. The end of the sleeve 38 projecting rearwardly from the base 12, is provided with a stop member 65, which is vertically slotted inwardly of its upper and lower ends as at 66 and 67,

and bifurcated at its extreme upper end, as

at 68, and provided with a circular opening 69 inwardly of its lower end, whereby to straddle a guide rod 70 on the one hand, and

to clamp around the sleeve 38 on the other hand, substantially as is shown,- suitable bolts 71 and 72 being passed through the uper and lower bifurcated ends 68 and 69 respectively, for the setting of the stop correspondingly for different lengths of tapping or threading operations. For the tapping out of the bores of various sizes of nuts, a tapper bit of a proper size will be inserted into the chuck for the purpose,

while the range of movement of the parts of the machine will be corresponding set by adjusting the ejector rod 64 with respect to the discharge end of the chute 28, and similarly adjusting the stop member 69 on the sleeve 38. 7

From the foregoing, it. will be readily ap parent that, while a preferred embodiment of the machine has been described and illus trated herein in specific terms and details of construction, arrangement and operation, various changes in and modifications of the same may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims appended hereto.

. Having thus fully described the invention,

what is claimed is f 1. A nut tapping machine comprising a bodily shiftable Work liolderprovidecl with means for the gravity feed of the work to be able supporting shaft mounted on the rear havin an position to clot endof said bit operatingishaft, a spring controlled work holder shitting mechanism element thereof extending into the holder for holding thewor]; therein in be operated on and for shifting the holder to and fromsaid bit operating r and ma clockwise direction when shifted rearwardly "by said l'u'ilderll and means 'inonnted on said supportingshaft itor opersting said shitting inechanisin to'inove the holder towards the bit oaerat-inq shaft and further to provide for the holder shitting the shaft rearwardly.

' per bit operating by said work holder, alongitiidinally Slllf'kr. nutfltapping' machine comprising a hodi'ly'shi'ltable work holder provided with means for the grav tv feed of the work to be operated on, a lon tndinallv shittable tap- P) shalt sniiitable rearwardly able supporting shattniounted on the rear end of said'b t operating shaft, a spring controlled 'worlrholdor shitting); mechanism llflVlIlQ an element thereot extending into the holder for holding; the work therein in position to be operated on and for shitting the holder to and from said bit operating shaft, ineans cooperating withsaid bit opshifting inechanisinextending into the erating shattior driving it in an anti- ,rloclcwise direction when shitted 'lorwardly in -the engagement of the bit with the work and in a clockwise direction when shifted ri sarwardly by said holder, means mounted on said siipporting shaft for operating; said shifting mechanism l'iOlllOVG the holder to wards the bit operating shal l't and further to'pro vide for the holder shitting; the shaft rearwardly, and said shitting; ITIQCllflIllSIlllIleluding: means to hold the work in position within the holder prior to the shifting of the holder towards the tap or hit operating shalt.

A nut tapping machine bomprising' a bodily shittable work holder provided with means for the gravity feed of the work to be operated on, a longitudinally shittabletapper bit operating shaft shiftable rearwardly by said \vorlc holder. a longitudinally shiftable supporting shattinonnted on the rear end o t' said bit operating shaft, a spring controlled work holder shitting mechanism having: an element thereotextendlng into the holder for holding the work therein in l position to be operated-on and tor shifting the holder to and from said bit operating shaft, means cooperating with said bit 0p- .eratihof shaft for driving it in an anticlockwise direction when shifted forwardly by the engagement of the bit with the work yand in a clockwise direction when shifted re'arwardly by said holdensneans mounted tappe'r bit operating: shaft shiitablerear, 1

on said supporting shaft for operating said shiftingniech-anisin to move :the: l 1older to wards the bit'ioperating 'shatti and'turther A 7 not jtap'ping'f 7 Daddy shittable .v-wo means for. the gravity provided with an axial bore; 1;,

tap 36]..l3ll1 oo'eratin shatt'shittable rear-1 o L h l clockwise direction when shi tted forwardly to provide forthegholdershi' ing'thesha tt '7 rearwardly, and means arrangedinthe path ot-the holder whenthe latter Lisshifted towards the bitoperatingshattfor discharginggthe "completed work froni t'he' holder, machine com-prising} a holder provided ri ithi "feed of the work to be operated on,;a longitudinally by-said work holder, longitudinally shiftable supporting shaft mounted on the rear end-0t saidfbit operating-shaft, "a spring ,8? controlled"work holder sh] fting ne'ohanlsm having an elementthereot extending into the holder for holding the 1 we 11; therein in. position to be operated on" and for shifting the holder 'toand lroin said bit operating shaft, means cooperating w thlsaid lJlt DP- 'erating sha-itti for "driving in an [antirearwardly' bjir. said holder,, and means Inounted on said supporting shaft torfopen ating" said shitting I mechanism to move the f holder towards the bit'operatingshatt and further. to'provide for the holder shifting the shaft rearwardly, thatxelement of said holder being in the form of apresserffoot 5. YA nut 'tappig machine comprisinn'a bodily shit'table work holder-provided with means for the gravity feed of the work :to be operated on, a longitudinally shittable wardly by said work holder alongitndinail shiftable supporting shaft in ounted on ear end of said'bitoperating shaft, a-

spring controlled workaholdershifting mech- V 'tlilFJl'l having an elei'nent thereofyextend ing" 'intothe holder for holding the work therein in position to be-oper-atcdwon and for shit-ting theholder to and from saidbi't operating sh'at't, means cooperating with said bit opera-ting shaft tor driving'it in an anti- 11.5 by the engagement of the bit withthe work and in a clockwise direction when shifted rearwardl ytby said holder, means mounted on said supporting shaft for operating said 7 shitting mechanism to move the holder to-,' wards the bit' operating shaft and further to provide for the holder shifting the shalt rearwardlv, and means for limiting the t movement of the work holder in a direction towardsxsaid bit operating shaft. V V

6. A nut tapping machine comprising-a bodily shift-able wort holder provided with, means :tor the gravity feed. of the workto be operated on, a'longitudinally' shittable .ishiaaie per bit operating shaft shiftablerearwardly the rear end of said bit operating shaft, a

wardly by said work holder, a longitudinally shiftable supporting shaft mounted on spring controlled work holder shifting mechanism having an'element thereof extending into the holder for holding the work therein in position to be operated on and for shifting the holder to and from said bit operating haft, means cooperating with with said 'bit operating shaft for driving it in an anti-clockwise direction when shifted forwardly by the engagement 7 of the bit with the work and in a clockwise direction when shifted rearwardly'by said holder, means mounted on said supporting shaft for 7 operating said shifting mechanism to move the holder towards "the 'bit operating shaft and further to provide for the holder shifting the shaft rearwardly, and said shifting mechanism including means to hold the work in position within the holder prior "to the shifting. of the holder towards the tap or hit operating shaft, and means for limiting the movement of the work holder in a direction towards sa1d bit operating shaft.

7. A nut tapping machine comprising a bodily shiftableiwork holder provided with meansfor the gravity feed of the work to be operated on, a longitudinally shiftable tapper bit operating shaft .shiftable rearwardly by said work holder, a longitudinally shiftable supporting shaft mounted on the rear end of said bit operating shaft, a

spring controlled work holder shifting mechanism having an element thereof extending into the holder for holding the work therein in position to be operated on and for shifting the holder to and from said bit operating shaft, means cooperating with said bit operating shaft for driving it in an anti-clockwise direction when shifted'forwardlyby the engagement of the bit with the work and in a clockwise direction when shifted rearwardly' by saidholder, means mounted on said supporting shaft for operating said shifting mechanism to move the holder towards the bit operating shaft and further to provide for the holder shifting the shaft rearwardly, means arranged in the path of the holder when the latter is shifted towards the bit operating shaft for discharging the completed work from the hold er, and means for limiting the movement of the work holder in a direction towards said hit operating shaft.

8. A nut tapping machine comprising a bodily shiftable work holder provided with means for the gravity feed of the work to be operated on, a longitudinally shiftable tapper bit operating shaft shiftable rean wardly by said work holder, a longitudinally shiftable supporting shaft mounted on the rear end of said bit operating shaft, a spring controlled work holder shifting mechanism having an element thereof extending into the holder for holding the work therein in position to be operated on and for shifting the holder to and from said bit operating shaft, means cooperating with said bit operating shaft for driving it in an anti-clockwise direction when shifted forwardly by the engagement of the bit with the work and in a clockwise direction when shifted rearwardly by said holder, means mounted on said supporting shaft for operating said shifting mechanism to move the holder towards the bit operating shaft andfurther to provide for the holder shifting the shaft rearwardly, that element of said shifting mechanism extending into the holder being in the form of a resser-foot provided with an axial bore, and means for limiting the movement of the work holder in a direction towards said bit operating shaft.

In testimony whereof, I affiX' my signa- 

